


Date Night

by iamnotmagic_cath



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Accidental Dating, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 19:22:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7327180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamnotmagic_cath/pseuds/iamnotmagic_cath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kent Parson had meant to go to a Clippers game with Swoops. They went to pretty much every non-hockey game being played on the Strip, getting a kick from being professional hockey players in the least hockey town since Phoenix, Arizona (though at least the Aces knew how to fill the stands). So Kent had thought nothing of it when he had texted, “date night tomorrow at 5:30? meet me at my place?” to Swoops, who’d started calling the games “date nights” after Jeff and some of the other guys had chirped them for hanging out so much. So it wasn’t weird. At least, it wouldn’t have been, if Kent had actually managed to send the message to Swoops.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Date Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [benjji2795](https://archiveofourown.org/users/benjji2795/gifts).



> So, I am never writing anything on deadline again, but thanks so much to idrilka and jackzimmermann for their amazing fic and for the Birthday Bash, and to benjji2795 for some amazing prompts; I'm sorry I only chose one!

Kent Parson had meant to go to a Clippers game with Swoops. They went to pretty much every non-hockey game being played on the Strip, getting a kick from being professional hockey players in the least hockey town since Phoenix, Arizona (though at least the Aces knew how to fill the stands). So Kent had thought nothing of it when he had texted, “date night tomorrow at 5:30? meet me at my place?” to Swoops, who’d started calling the games “date nights” after Jeff and some of the other guys had chirped them for hanging out so much. So it wasn’t weird. At least, it wouldn’t have been, if Kent had actually managed to send the message to Swoops.

_X_

Stanley “Lee” Parker looks down at his phone when it gives the text notification sound. Then he freaks out a little bit, because the captain of the Aces, Kent Parson, the person whose media presence he was paid to keep a watchful eye on, had just asked him out. Over text. Out of the blue. True, they had a bit of a chirp/flirt relationship going on over Kent’s inability to post anything but pictures of Kit on Instagram (“Your fans probably don’t even remember you play hockey at this point” “Surely you have better things to do than depriving the internet of cat pictures?”), but Lee hadn’t even hoped suspected that Kent liked men. But apparently Kent did like men, and even more importantly, liked Lee, and oh shit, he’d been sitting looking at the text for ten minutes and should probably reply. “Well, it’s not the weirdest way I’ve been asked out. Probably the most forward though. I’m in.”

_X_

Kent wonders why his PR rep is texting him (he knows that he posted an unprecedented 17 pictures of Kit today but they don’t have any games for a few days and he was bored, okay?) and his confusion isn’t any less when he sees the message. Until it dawns on him what has happened. His hands, so good at handling a hockey stick like a surgical tool, have betrayed him and sent his text to “Stanley Cup Parker” instead of “Swoop There It Is” as he had intended. He supposes he should be grateful he didn’t send it to Segs (or disappointed; he’s seen the Body Issue). Kent wonders how to tell Lee that he hadn’t actually meant to ask him out, but…he hasn’t already bought the tickets to the game or anything, and he and Lee had an interesting chirp/flirt thing going on over Lee’s name (“Come on, Stanley, you know you love Kit!” “Ugh, Kent, you know I hate being called Stanley. Besides, it feels like you’re jinxing it or something.”) So, Kent decides to just…go with it. He texts back, “I’m the best forward ;) see you tomorrow” and goes back to watching reruns of America’s Next Top Model.

_X_

Kent hastens to get back to his apartment after practice. This date may have started off as an accident, but that doesn’t mean that Kent is willing to give any less than 110% in wooing the pants off Lee (perhaps literally, it had been awhile since he’d been with anyone, male or female). When Kent gets home, he gives Kit a few loving scratches and fills her food bowl before going to take a more rigorous shower than the one he’d taken back at the rink. His stomach fills with nervous butterflies as he makes dinner, following along with a YouTube video made by a charming Southern kid who usually makes desserts but also had a series for romantic dinners (Kent liked watching the videos because the guy seemed really familiar, like maybe he had signed something for him at one of his games. Plus, his recipes always turned out great even if Kent wasn’t the best at cooking). When the chicken and vegetables are baking safely in the oven, Kent takes a deep breath and checks the clock. It’s less than half an hour before Lee is supposed to show up, and his nerves haven’t decreased. Kent seeks out Kit for some comfort cuddles, which Kit is too kind to reject out of hand when he’s worked up about something.

_X_

Lee hesitates a bit before knocking on the door. Perhaps going on a date with the guy that you’re supposed to keep low profile in all the right ways is unprofessional (well, it was definitely unprofessional, but at least it wasn’t illegal), but Lee decides to ignore the part of his brain saying that and knocks on the door instead. Kent answers immediately, almost like he’d been waiting right by the door (he had been, for the last five minutes) and Lee takes a moment to calm his brain because Kent looks, to put it mildly, amazing. Kent’s wearing dark blue trousers and a white button down shirt of which only half of the buttons are done up, and while Lee can tell that Kent attempted to tame his cowlick, the attempt was unsuccessful, giving Kent a look of sexy dishevelment. Lee swoons a little bit before saying, “Are you just going to stand there, or am I allowed to come in?” Without saying a word, Kent graciously steps to the side and Lee walks in.

_X_

It takes a moment for Kent to find his voice after he sees Lee. He knew Lee was cute, objectively, with his dark smooth skin and regal air (Kent called him Lord Stanley for multiple reasons, after all), but all of a sudden, seeing Lee trying to look good (for their date, oh lord) in a pair of nice khakis, a button down with the sleeves carefully rolled up to the elbows, and an honest-to-goodness waistcoat was more than enough to effectively tie Kent’s tongue for a moment. It wasn’t until Lee was fully inside the apartment and standing in the main hallway for about a minute of slightly awkward silence that Kent was able to find his voice. “So, I was thinking dinner and a movie?” Kent holds up a couple of DVDs from his collection. “Best part is, we can do it all right here.”

“That’s a good idea,” Lee answered, “Especially if that smell from the kitchen is the dinner part.” He gives Kent a small smile, and Kent flushes and ducks his head a bit.

“Cool. Well, I’ll let you pick the movie since I picked the menu. I’ll get everything plated up and meet me in the media room with your choice.” Kent brazenly brushes his fingertips against Lee’s forearm and heads back to the kitchen to get the meal ready to go, missing the flush that runs down Lee’s face at the touch.

_X_

After the movie (Lee had picked The Artist, which had the benefits of being mostly silent, which allowed for easy conversation, and romantic, which made leaning into each other for light cuddling much more enjoyable) Kent and Lee stay sitting on the couch as the conversation fades naturally. They’re both facing each other, faces warm from the wine that had accompanied dinner. “I had a good time tonight, Kent, thanks for dinner.” Lee smiles and stares into Kent’s grey-green eyes (though right now they’re almost black and how is this boy real?) and almost unconsciously leans in a little bit closer to Kent.

Kent scoots closer and returns the smile. He has had a good time and, for all that it was an accident to ask Lee out, Kent is really happy with how the night turned out. He decides to go all in and leans into the space between him and Lee, going most of the way but letting Lee decide whether to close the gap. When Lee does, and their lips touch, Kent feels blissfully happy. After a moment of hesitation, the kiss deepens and soon what little space there was between them vanishes.

_X_

Later, after Lee and Kent eventually come up for air looking slightly bashful but mostly pleased with the date and each other, and Lee has returned to his apartment, he sends a text to Kent: “so this was your date idea, so how about for mine we do breakfast sometime?”

Kent replies just a moment later, “I could never say no to Lord Stanley ;)”

**Author's Note:**

> -Kent gets to be happy and non-angsty because I said so, and because it's his birthday so our fandom bicycle gets to have the day off from sad feelings.  
> -This fic takes place in the near future when Kent is over Jack and no longer cries in bed while listening to "Lucky" on repeat.  
> -I am sorry there's no smut.  
> -I like the idea that Kent has no idea who Bitty is, even though he saw him at Epikegster, but of course Kent had eyes for Jack only.


End file.
